Endometriosis linked to some ovarian cancers

Women with endometriosis appear to be more likely to develop three particular types of ovarian cancer in later life, a study has found.

Scientists at the University of Southern California and Duke University Cancer Institute in the US pooled the results of 13 previous studies involving more than 23,000 women.

They used the data to calculate the size of the links between endometriosis and the risk of five types of ovarian cancer.

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Analysis revealed that women with a history of endometriosis had a more than threefold increased risk of developing clear cell ovarian cancer, more than double the risk of developing endometrioid tumours, and double the risk of low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

However, no link was found between endometriosis and high-grade serous, mucinous, serous borderline or mucinous borderline ovarian cancers.

Lead author Dr Celeste Leigh Pearce, from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, said: 'This breakthrough could lead to better identification of women at increased risk of ovarian cancer and could provide a basis for increased cancer surveillance of the relevant population.'

However, the researchers - whose findings are published in the Lancet Oncology - emphasised that the majority of women with endometriosis 'do not develop ovarian cancer'.

Around two million women in the UK are affected by endometriosis, according to NHS figures.

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